Color-screen holder for electric lights



Nov. 23 ,1926. 1,608,348

P. J. TIMBERLAKE COLOR SCREEN HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS Filed Feb. 1,1926 5151, x 30/ v 7 j I flmm Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNETEQ STATES r series.

PAUL J'. TIIl/IBERLAKE, OF JACKSON, MICHTF AN, ASSIGNOR TG J. B.TIMBERLAKE 5.:

SONS, INC., OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATTGN OF MICHIGAN.

COLOR-SCREEN HOLDER FC'R ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Application filed February My invention relates to holders for coloredlight screens used in the illumination of show windows and other places,which holders are adapted to be applied to and cover the open ends ofreflectors used with incandescent electric lamps, particularlyreflectors of parabolic shape such are now in common vogue.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a holderembodying my invention applied to the reflector of an electric lamp 2 isa vertical sectional View of the same.

Fig 3 is a view illustating the holder opened to permit the insertion orremoval of a light screen, such as a sheet of flexible colored gelatine.

Fig. l is a plan view of the holder separate from the lamp reflector.

On the 19th of May, 1925 there was issued to me United States LettersPatent #1,- 538,528 for a holder .for colored light screens adapted tobe applied to and used in connection with parabolic reflectors forelectric lamps, and my present invention relates to holders of the typeillustrated in that patent, having for its object to improve the same inseveral particulars.

'Referring to the drawing A designates an electric lamp fixture, B ashade or re flector carried thereby, and C a color sheet which is to beheld across the open end of the reflector and close to the edge thereofso that the light rays from the lamp shallbe required to pass throughsuch sheet and be colored thereby. These color screens are usuallyformed of extremely thin sheets of flexible gelatine and are quitefragile. In the use of the holder as described in my aforesaid patentdiiflculty has been experienced in quickly and easily inserting thesheet constituting the color screen into the holder, and frequently suchsheet. is torn or broken, either in the process of insertion or ofremoval. By the present invention the acts of inserting and removingcolor sheets are much facilitated, and the danger of breaking orotherwise injuring the sheets is reduced to a minimum.

The holder consists of two frames, 2 and 3, overlying each other andhinged together along one edge, as at 4:. The frames are of a shape tosuit the use to which they are put, being preferably square for use withre- 1, 1926. Serial No. 85,301.

flectors of the shape illustrated in the drawings, and of a size ampleto cover the rim or edge of the reflector. One of the frames is providedwith means such illustrated in my aforesaid patent for securing theholder to the reflector. These means consist of a pair of fingers, 5which extend diagonally part way across the frame, preferably fromlocations in proximity to the hinges 4E, and serve to constitute stopsthat engage with the edge of the reflector to which the holder isapplied. Along the opposite sides of the frame are wires, 7, 7,constituting runners on which is supported a coiled spring 10, themiddle portion of which is adapted to be sprung over the edge of thereflector, as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawing and fully describedin my s aid patent. These means for securing the holder to the reflectorpermit the ready application of the holder to, and its easy removalfrom, the reflector, as may be required, and permit a holder of aparticular size to be used in connection with reflectors of quite a widevariety of sizes and shapes. The frames 2 and 3 are providedrespectively, with cross wires, 8 and 9, those of one frame extendingbetween the marginal side members thereof, while those of the otherframe extend between the marginal end members thereof, an arrangementthat causes the wires 8 and 9 to cross each other at substantially rightangles and to. be one set above and the other set below the color sheetC when the latter is placed in the holder and the frames 2 and 3 areclosed together. The construction of the frames as described, that iswith all the cross wires of each running in one direction, provides asupport for the color sheet that is in a single plane; and as the colorsheets, which the frames herein described are intended to hold, are verythin and fragile, this is a very desirable feature. That frame in whichthe cross wires extend between the sides of the marginal wire of theframe, the upper frame, 2, in the arrangement illustrated in thedrawings, may have the member of the marginal frame at the end which ishinged to the opposite frame entirely omitted, as the cross wires willhold apart and sufficiently brace the side members. This arrangementleaves the rear ends of the sides of the marginal frame free to beformed into eyes 11 that encircle the rear ends of the other marginalframe, and thus constitute the lib till

hinges 4. The arrangement described "also leaves the front end member 2of the marginal frame free to be sprung for a purpose that willpresently be stated.

The other frame, 3, has its cross wires 9 extending between andunitingthe end members of its marginal frame. This frame is provided atits front edge, and preferably at its center, with a projection 6, thatis adapted to have the resilient marginal memher, 2*, of the other framesprung over it in order to lock the frames together and in closedrelationship. This projection 6 is conveniently formed by making thecentral cross wire 9 of the frame 3 a little longer than are the otherwires and forming it into a loop or eye as illustrated, that serves as acatch to hold the two frames closed together.

In using the invention the two frame members, 2, 3, are separated, asrepresented in Fig. 3, and a sheet 0 laid upon the cross wires of thelower frame. The frames are then closed, clamping the sheet between thewires 8 and 9, which cross each other, and the edge member 2 of theframe 2 is sprung over the projection 6 locking the fr ames together.The holder may now be used err actly as is the holder represented in mysaid patent. The frames may be opened and closed while the holder issecured to the lamp reflector, as represented in Fig. 1, as well as whenthe holder is separate from the mphat I claim is:

1. A holder for color sheets, consisting of a pair of frames hingedtogether and adapted when closed to hold between them the color sheet,the cross wires of one frame extending between the marginal side membersof the frame and being 'in a common plane, and the cross wires of theother frame extending between the marginal ends of the second frame, andbeing in a common plane,

a catch for holding the frames closed together, and means for detachablysecuring the holder to the reflector or shade of a lamp.

tween the ends thereof, one of the. cross wires of the second framebeing formed intoa catch and the end of the marginal wire of the firstnamed frame that is opposite the hinge being resilient so as to be.sprung into holding engagement with the catch carried by the oppositeframe.

' 3. A holder for color sheets, consisting of a pair of frames hingedtogether and adapted when closed to hold between them a color sheet, oneof the frames consisting of a marginal wire and intermediate cross wiresextending between the ends of *the marginal wire, and the second framecon sisting of a marginal wire with two sides and a single end, andcross wires extending between the sides of the marginal wire, the freeends of the sides of the said marginal wire being formed into eyes thatsurround the rear marginal end of the other frame, thus constitutinghinge connections between the frames, the front end of the marginal wireof the second frame. being resilient, a catch carried by the front endof the marginal wire of the first frame with which the resilient frontend of the second frame is adapted to engage for holding the framesclosed together, and means carried by the second mentioned frame fordetachably securing the holder to the reflector or shade of a lamp.

PAUL J. TIMBERLAKE.

2. A holder for color sheets, consisting of

